Evansville is a body blow. Fort Wayne is a haymaker square in the nose.

The CHL is staggered: one more good punch and it's down for the count. The Texas and Oklahoma teams would make a nice sixth division for the ECHL if they wanted to join whole-hog. Rapid City and Missouri would probably both be good fits in the USHL if they wanted to get out of professional hockey. Bloomington is likely toast, not sure about Quad Cities.

Evansville is a body blow. Fort Wayne is a haymaker square in the nose.

The CHL is staggered: one more good punch and it's down for the count. The Texas and Oklahoma teams would make a nice sixth division for the ECHL if they wanted to join whole-hog. Rapid City and Missouri would probably both be good fits in the USHL if they wanted to get out of professional hockey. Bloomington is likely toast, not sure about Quad Cities.

Then there's Arizona. Who knows what could happen with them.

In all honesty where does the madness end with expansion??? The ECHL if they don't watch out is going to become too big to tame.

In all honesty where does the madness end with expansion??? The ECHL if they don't watch out is going to become too big to tame.

How much is this really expanding though? I believe the ECHL allows fewer vets, so you'll need a few more younger kids on these new teams. San Francisco and Orlando though I understand. Now you have to pull together players from who knows where and hope you can make a team out of it. But won't a lot of players from Forth Wayne and Evansville simply be just switching from one league to another?

I'm all for it. Standardization of systems, shared infrastructure, and more teams to play. Why have teams geographically close to one another, but NEVER play each other because they are in different leagues? It's all AA, so why wouldn't you want to play as many close rivals and cut down on travel costs?

How much is this really expanding though? I believe the ECHL allows fewer vets, so you'll need a few more younger kids on these new teams. San Francisco and Orlando though I understand. Now you have to pull together players from who knows where and hope you can make a team out of it. But won't a lot of players from Forth Wayne and Evansville simply be just switching from one league to another?

I'm all for it. Standardization of systems, shared infrastructure, and more teams to play. Why have teams geographically close to one another, but NEVER play each other because they are in different leagues? It's all AA, so why wouldn't you want to play as many close rivals and cut down on travel costs?

Just who may I ask is Ft. Wayne close to aside from Evansville and Kalamazoo? Possible Cincy???(Just a guess)

Depends on how the rosters were built. You can only have 4 vets. Plus it depends on affiliations. I hear FW is going independent, Don't know about Evansville but you usually get some AHL Contracted guys sent down so that will weed out a couple spots for returns.

Just who may I ask is Ft. Wayne close to aside from Evansville and Kalamazoo? Possible Cincy???(Just a guess)

OK so let's ignore Evansville because presumably they were going to stick with Fort Wayne wherever they played. Dayton folded, so they are out of the CHL.

Close teams in the CHL = Quad Cities and Bloomington. If I recall, wasn't it questionable that either one of them would even start the season? And one of Bloomington's owners bailed half way through the season. If one or both of these teams go it screws the teams in Indiana.

Close teams in the ECHL = Toledo, Cincy, Kalamazoo, and Wheeling. I'll give you that Wheeling could be in trouble.

Teams to play if you're willing to travel = 8 for the ECHL (northeast and southeast) and 9 for the CHL (Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas area). Throw in the 9 on the west coast for the ECHL if you want, but I don't think cross divisional play happens often.

So the ECHL is a better fit for sure, even if not by a whole lot. I think it's a matter of minimizing risk.

Ft. Wayne isn't going to like this. They have some hardcore fans and won't be happy when the fights gets broken up.

I don't believe that will be the case. I think that there will be hardcore fans that won't be happy if lessened fighting is met with increased cheap shots (because the game isn't allowed to police itself) and poor officiating of those acts.

Whatever happened to the issue regarding the Frankes not wanting to have a team if it meant its players were in a union?? I thought the ECHL players were in the PHPA, and the Central League were not organized.

Whatever happened to the issue regarding the Frankes not wanting to have a team if it meant its players were in a union?? I thought the ECHL players were in the PHPA, and the Central League were not organized.

I don't believe that will be the case. I think that there will be hardcore fans that won't be happy if lessened fighting is met with increased cheap shots (because the game isn't allowed to police itself) and poor officiating of those acts.

Just who may I ask is Ft. Wayne close to aside from Evansville and Kalamazoo? Possible Cincy???(Just a guess)

Cincinnati, Toledo, and Kalamazoo are within 200 miles. Evansville is about 300 miles away. That's probably a division, or they might toss Trenton, Reading, and Wheeling in there, too, if Elmira doesn't come back.

I think the ECHL is trying to become a 1:1 AA league with the NHL. They're going to lose plenty of teams to attrition along the way, so getting established clubs like Fort Wayne and Evansville and Colorado is a huge boost. Now we'll just have to see if Orlando and San Francisco both stick.

Just a SWAG here, but I wouldn't be surprised to see SF as one and done (like Chicago/Hoffman Estates), and Orlando to stick around at least two seasons -- we'll see how the market responds to the competition level and ticket prices. I did quite enjoy the NHL pre-season game I saw in the Magic's arena (that the Solar Bears will play in), I have to say.

Cincinnati, Toledo, and Kalamazoo are within 200 miles. Evansville is about 300 miles away. That's probably a division, or they might toss Trenton, Reading, and Wheeling in there, too, if Elmira doesn't come back.

I think the ECHL is trying to become a 1:1 AA league with the NHL. They're going to lose plenty of teams to attrition along the way, so getting established clubs like Fort Wayne and Evansville and Colorado is a huge boost. Now we'll just have to see if Orlando and San Francisco both stick.